Cloud aggregators are the key to unlocking SMB's potential
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Date: February 2023
By: Jessica Harvey, Business Unit Manager, Tarsus On Demand
Unlocking small and medium businesses’ potential and fostering their expansion requires integrating them into the digital economy. But far too many SMEs in South Africa continue to be shut out of digitalisation potential due to a lack of internal technological expertise, limited access to effective solutions or a lack of funding.
That’s the view of Jessica Harvey, business unit manager at Tarsus On Demand (TOD), who says that addressing the challenges is complex and broad and one organisation can’t do it all alone.
This is why cloud aggregators are the key to unlocking SMBs potential in South Africa, says Harvey. Service providers need to become channel partners working together to address the issues and offering suitable and economical solutions to the end-user communities.
While some independent software vendors (ISVs) are skilled at developing new cloud solutions for specialised needs, others have tried and tested solutions for specific business needs, such as payroll and HR.
“Magic happens when these abilities, skills and resources are pooled in one marketplace. This is where an aggregator comes to the rescue. TOD plays the role of pulling together solution providers that can deliver the appropriate business outcomes to the end user,” says Harvey.
“SMBs who use our ecosystem of cloud providers gain from knowing they are working with a proven Tarsus On Demand partner who is skilled at handling business issues as well as technical needs. The cloud provider can assist them in creating a successful and agile cloud strategy that complies with the laws or regulations like the Protection of Personal Information Act and also ensure that all data security concerns are addressed,” she says.
SMBs in South Africa must carefully navigate the challenges posed by a lack of technical expertise, data security concerns, regulatory compliance and cost pressures. TOD helps to fast-track digital adoption and addresses these obstacles by providing not only the relevant and specific business-focused solution, but also the required technical support that then frees up SME to focus on their core business operations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Harvey says that digitalisation of South Africa’s SMBs is essential for expanding the South African economy and improving inclusion. Our goal is to close the digital exclusion gap for SMBs so that they can boost their productivity and improve efficiencies by using cloud-based solutions to modernise their operations.
SMEs can harness the opportunities provided by cloud computing to grow their operations and compete in the market by leveraging the offering from a marketplace that aggregates as-a-service solutions tailored to the demands of the smaller firms.